He continued by saying that warm seas exacerbated coral bleaching and the presence of too many tourists only upset the milieu and speeded up the degenerative process. The doctor added that when similar warm seas occurred in 2010, the specialists were tardy in taking action and a lot of coral was destroyed.
As a postscript he noted his peers were determined that coral would not suffer the same fate in 2016 and had already closed off Koh Yoong. The team are also in the process of evaluating which other popular tourist sites need closing to ensure their treasures are preserved for posterity.
Maya is an inlet on the coast of Koh Phi Phi Ley, the second biggest of the Phi Phi archipelago islands. The setting for blockbuster film The Beach, Maya attracts with its beautiful coral, translucent waters, diving and snorkelling.
Marine experts say keep tourists out of Phi Phi Maya Bay
News in Asia
Marine biologists say it is imperative to temporarily stop tourists from visiting one of Thailand’s best known tourist sites in the southern Phi Phi archipelago. Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat explained that the latent sea temperature in the Andaman is high and is expected to peak at 33°C over the next few weeks.